Archive for the ‘home’ Category

• In which I solve a quilting problem, without making a quilt

  Date: 2010.10.07 | Category: fabric, home | Response: 5

  

  You see, I’ve been planning to learn quilting for some time.  Properly, following traditional patterns. With exact measurements.  And seams lining up precisely and neat corners.  At least to begin with.

  It’s a skill I think I should have. And something I can really imagine enjoying, once I get good: playing with colour and pattern, within geometries and repetition.

  But after all this time thinking, I still haven’t started yet.  Something’s slowing me down.  A worry.  I’ve finally worked out what it is: the product of quilitng … is a quilt.  I don’t have room for a quilt!!  Well, maybe one.  Two at the most.  Possibly three, but what if I really enjoy quilting and want to make more?  There must be more than 3 techniques I’d like to try.

  We live in a really small apartment, with four people.  I have trouble enough storing the Winter doonas and blankets.  And everything else.  I don’t really want to add to our storage problems.  I could throw a quilt or two over the sofa (to be dragged on the floor by the kids?), perhaps give one or two as presents (gift the storage problem to someone else?).  I could put a quilt on the wall, but I don’t fancy drilling into these walls than I have to.  And then I’m stuck.  I do like to justify to myself that most of my crafting is useful.  Knitting produces gloves, scarves, hats, jumpers… sewing produces dresses, skirts.  But quilting?  Just produces more storage problems.

  And then it hit me: cushion covers!  Lots of finicky little mini quilts.  Different fronts and backs.  We’ve at least four chairs.  And we’ll need a change of covers – eight.  And at this age, with the rate kids spill stuff – twenty!  Or more!  Plenty of opportunities to explore pattern & technique!

  So here is my inspiration, courtesy the library:
  - an encyclopedia of techniques;
  - a modern quilt reference (I’m always drawn to modern looking quilts);
  - the quilt book recommended by the librarian;
  - an apartment therapy, for storage hints!

  Our apartment is rated “small”.  Pity the other examples of small apartments don’t seem to include children.  And their toys.

  And welcome everyone visiting through Kirsty’s creative spaces.

• My creative space #002

  Date: 2010.02.04 | Category: Amigurumi, home | Response: 7

  Thank you so much for your comments last week! I had fun. Mind if I do it again?

  1. Kid’s art. Still not on wall, but looking nice and colourful in the morning light.

  2. New library books. I can never borrow just one. Also, I’ve been trying to dig out all the Bendigo Woollen Mills shade cards I have – I don’t think the website does the colours any justice. And, to be honest, Bendigo’s prices are really reasonable, particularly if you have ideas involving a lot of yarn…

  3. Yes, I drew that background! (Sorry, couldn’t help myself!)

  4. Kid’s heights and other measurements, in case the sewing urge strikes. The littlest is nearly a metre tall! (She’s just turned 3.)

  5.  Chinese dictionaries, balloons, pencil case. I think this weekly showing-my-desk-thing might be good for me: I actually tidied the Christmas pudding into the storage cupboard

  6. Ideas.

  

  7. Went to IKEA on the weekend. You’ll be pleased to hear I bought a little bin (see 9 last week). And I bought a random orange tin I’m not sure what I’ll do with, some more kid’s bowls, some finger puppets … as well as the drawers we really went to buy.

  8. Crochet project. I’m really enjoying it.

  9. Sewing machine, still untouched.

  10. Yes, dear patient library, I will return it on time! (Hate it how the length of time you can borrow changes if someone else requests the book. Even though it’s totally fair enough, I’ve requested books too)

  11. The books mentioned yesterday.

  12. Stain on the table, although I try to be careful. Argh! (I did later manage to scrape it off)

• My creative space #001

  Date: 2010.01.28 | Category: craft, home | Response: 8

  (Partial) inventory:

  1. Kid’s art. Should find the blu-tack to stick it on the wall.

  2. Ideas.

  3. Computer. Yes, with Twitter.

  4. Bills. Fun.

  5.  Pencil case.

  6. Sewing and tracing tools. For a burda skirt I meant to make. before Christmas.

  7. Chinese books. I was going to study intensively over the holidays. But, like all students, I actually did other stuff. Also, balloons for a kid’s birthday.

  8.I love this light. It used to be in a train carriage. Bought in a weird little shop in Enmore, ages ago, the shop doesn’t exist anymore …

  9. Used tissues stuffed into an old tissue box. Not sure if this counts as reuse, recycle or unhygienic?

  10. Christmas pudding, unopened. My favourite Christmas treat, so I’m still looking forward to it.

  

  11. Tissues.

  12. Presents from the kids, their drawings.

  13. Diagrams of indoor clothes drying racks, for husband.

  14. Sewing machine. At least it’s where I can see it.

  15. Crap, various.

  16. Crochet project.

  17. Fashion illustration project (haven’t decided whether I’ll show you or not).

  18. Tea towel to keep my desk clean, when I eat here.

  19. Hair clips, Christmas gift from Mum.

  20. Quilt project. Fabric washed, but that’s as far as I’ve got.

• Simple, simple Christmas decorations

  Date: 2010.01.06 | Category: craft, drawing, home | Response: 1

  

  Because it’s Twelfth Night tonight (at least the way I count it). Time to take down the tree. And you (or I) might want to make these decorations next year.

  Christmas trees and kids

  You see, if you have young children, say aged 2 & 4, Christmas decorations are always a dilemma. Do you:

  1. use the decorations from before-you-had-kids, but insist you are  THE ONLY ONE ALLOWED TO TOUCH THEM, rather dampening the Christmas spirit; or
  2. use those gorgeous decorations from before-you-had-kids, screaming silently each time your helpers shatter them; or
  3. decide that all decorations have to be kid-friendly, preferably cheaply homemade?

  This year, my kids were both old enough to ask. As you might guess, they voted number 3. They put the decorations on the tree themselves, the tree didn’t need a barrier and I didn’t even freak when they went to play jumping on the bed with various new “bracelets” … although I did insist all decorations be returned later.

  How to make

  They’re so simple, I’m sure you know how to make them just by looking. But, well, Christmas can be a little stressful, making even the easiest tasks seem hard …

  1. buy some foiled card from, like, Kmart (scrap-booking section), or find any stiff paper really;
  2. use a clean mug to trace circles, a ruler to trace sets of 6 strips, and cut;
  3. fold circles in half and staple each one to the next in groups of 3 (husband’s preference), 4 (kids’ preference, I think?) or 5 (mine);
  4. arrange 3 strips in a star-like shape, turn over, and wrong sides facing wrong sides, arrange 3 more strips in the same star shape. Staple in the centre;
  5. staple folded curling ribbon to hang.

  Actually, I love how they turned out: they feel so Christmassy to me. I’ve since realised that my absolute favourite decorations as a child were foiled paper, in the exact same colours: gold, silver, red, blue, purple and green … ah, so nostalgic.

• Sure I love eye candy, but I love honesty more

  Date: 2009.03.23 | Category: home | Response: 1

  Or, the post otherwise known as: how to move from a 2.5 bedroom house to a one bed apartment with two young kids.

  OK, I shouldn’t complain: this apartment might be small by Australian standards, it’s still very much bigger than where we lived in Tokyo!

  The space before … looks clean and neat, doesn’t it?

  

  
  
  
  
  
  The space after,
  all the stuff we didn’t throw out before we left for Japan, you know, the stuff we’ll have to find a spot for somewhere here …

  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Where we are now: semi-livable, but certainly not making the pages of design*sponge, or decor8 …

  

  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  I’ll let you know if we ever have an apartment therapy-worthy ending to this story …

• Wow, so clever! (Scroll down to see how these wall hangings were made!) http://t.co/oh2Uuhci From Design*Sponge about 8 hours ago from TweetDeck
• Grey water RT @sarahfielke Colour of your pants + last thing you ate or drank = #yourbandname about 9 hours ago from TweetDeck
• This is what I miss about Japan: things that just fit back into their boxes, with no trouble, clear instructions which way up... *sigh* 07:55:05 am 04 February 2012 from TweetDeck
• #talknt Fabric travel is global warming worry, but Organic is still worthwhile > rivers, land near cotton fields not damaged by pesticide 02:24:45 am 01 February 2012 from TweetDeck
• Good question! RT @helishingly: why don't UFO's visit us now we all have camera phones? #AFPInvestigates 10:34:08 am 30 January 2012 from TweetDeck